تقویت مکانیسم‌های دفاعی گیاه گوجه‌فرنگی به کمک رشد اندوفیتی قارچ‌های Metarhizium anisopliae و Beauveria bassiana: رویکردی جدید برای کنترل بیولوژیک Tuta absoluta

When plants interact with microbes, they use complex defense systems to maintain their safety. A plant may efficiently control the risks posed by phytopathogens and herbivores by triggering a cascade of effective reactions across its tissues when it recognizes them. In this study, the systematic growth of two entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana, as endophytes in different tomato plant tissues with spraying method was evaluated using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Moreover, the response of tomato plant immune responses in the presence and absence of this endophyte to Tuta absoluta herbivory was assessed using Real-time PCR. In the first experiment, both fungi demonstrated a notable increase in the colonization of various tomato tissues between 14 and 28 days post-inoculation, with this increase in concentration appearing initially in the leaves, followed by the stems and roots of the host plant. In addition, the highest fungal concentration was observed in tomato tissues colonized by M. anisopliae as an endophyte. In this study, we discovered for the first time that pre-inoculation with M. anisopliae or B. bassiana significantly activated TGA, ERF, and PR-10, gene expression pattern in the phytohormone pathways of tomatoes after a tomato leaf miner herbivory, compared to infested plants grown in the absence of the fungus. Additionally, after herbivory, tomato-colonized plants exhibited a strong induction of P450 in the phenylpropanoid pathway, along with other defense-related genes, such as WIP, nsLTP, and PRODH, compared to tomatoes without endophytes. These findings suggest that integrating M. anisopliae and B. bassiana into tomato pest management strategies can reduce reliance on chemical pesticides, promoting a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to agriculture. This study provides a precedent for further exploration of endophytic fungi in biological control, potentially extending these benefits to other crops and pest challenges in agricultural systems.